Ball game



May 9, 1950 F. o. GILLIAM, JR., ET AL 2,506,867

BALL GAME Filed Oct. 21, 1946 Inventor MIL es F Pennac mJy.

Atlorneys Patented May 9, 1950 TENT OFFICE 2,505,867 .BALL GAME nemen o. Gilliam, Jr., an-aMilesF. Parmesan., West Point, and Albert L. Branch, Richmond,

'Application' october 21,1946,serial'Noaroarsoji f,

1 Claim. l

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in games, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herein described wherein a plurality of balls are placed upon a platform surrounded by a marginal groove, further balls being shot or projected against the balls on the platform, and the players score being determined in accordance with the number of balls dislodged or expelled from the platform into the groove.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game which is adapted for indoor, table top use, and which, in certain respects, resembles the playing of billiards.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game which is of a highly amusing and entertaining nature and in which any suitable and reasonable number of players may participate.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a game which is simple in construction, which is a game of skill rather than a game of chance, and in which the players do not require extensive instruction in order to fully participate and enjoy the same.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a game which will readily lend itself to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects in view,

and such other objects as may become apparent y as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of the invention, D

and

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 2-2 in Figure 1.

Lilie characters of reference are used to designate like parts in the specication and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a game designated generally by the reference character 5, the same embodying in its construction a substantially circular plate 6 provided with an upstanding circumferential flange 1. A disc-like platform 8 is secured concentrically to the plate 6, the periphery of the platform being spaced from the flange 'l and co-acting therewith to form an an- Finally, the game also includes a plurality of suitable balls l I.

When the invention is placed in use, the game .may be played in accordance with various rules, a typical manner of playing being presently described.

Each of the several players is assigned one of the balls Il, the particular ball assigned to each player being hereinafter referred to as the shooter. The remaining balls are grouped substantially in the center of the platform 8.

Each player in turn shall place his shooter at any desired point upon the upper edge I2 of the flange 'l and shall flip his shooter onto the platform, in an effort to dislodge one or more of the balls assembled thereon into the groove 9.

Each player continues to shoot providing that his effort to dislodge the assembled balls has been successful and providing that his shooter, after each shot, remains upon the platform. When a players shooter falls into the groove 9, the player shall cease to shoot, regardless of whether or not he has dislodged any of the assembled balls from the platform. Each player is credited with the number of balls dislodged from the platform during his turn of play, whereby the players score may be determined.

In the event that a player does not dislodge any of the assembled balls and his shooter remains on the platform, he is required to let his shooter remain there and his opponents are permitted to shoot at it. If the shooter is subsequently dislodged from the platform, the owner thereof is, in his turn, permitted to resume his play.

Further rules and regulations may, of course, be adopted to govern scoring, length of play, penalties, or the like, and the rules of the game may, of course, be varied and new rules may be developed in accordance with the particular desires and preferences of the players. However, it is felt that the novelty of the invention would be unnecessarily obscured by an attempt to describe such variations in this specification, it being assumed that the selection of suitable rules is primarily a matter of choice and personal preference.

Accordingly, it is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure and further description thereof at this point is considered unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What we claim as our invention is:

A game apparatus comprising a substantially circular plate having an upstanding circumferential flange with a at top, a disc-like platform having a completely plane and unobstructed top surface secured concentrically to said plate, the periphery of said platform being spaced from said flange and coacting therewith to form an annulai` groove, said flange projecting above said platform, a, sheet of felt inlaid in said groove and covering said platform, and a plurality of freely rolling balls on said platform.

FENTON O. GILLIAM, Ja. MILES F. PORTLOCK. JR. ALBERT L. BRANCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

